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Car has about 9200 miles of of today .. it was born 3/27/2018 so it's basically three years old. We are retired and haven't used it for travel in the past (fly, cruise) and am thinking of a driving trip to North Carolina's Smokey Mountains this July or August. It would result in a trip of about 2K miles. It came on Michelin Super Sports which are 10/32nds tread depth new.... now it measures 4 to 4.5 32nds depending on front/rear and inside or outside tread, so I'm consuming consuming about 2/3 of a mm per thousand miles. That makes me think the toe is set too aggressively and an alignment is probably called for, which the dealer wants $250 for, which basically I consider that to be excessive.
My thoughts are to change to PS4S before the trip and get it aligned within 100 miles after the tires are on. I don't want to road trip on worn tires and if they last another three years I'll trade for another AMG. Does anyone know a good alignment shop they can recommend somewhere in the North Miami general area?
Car has about 9200 miles of of today .. it was born 3/27/2018 so it's basically three years old. We are retired and haven't used it for travel in the past (fly, cruise) and am thinking of a driving trip to North Carolina's Smokey Mountains this July or August. It would result in a trip of about 2K miles. It came on Michelin Super Sports which are 10/32nds tread depth new.... now it measures 4 to 4.5 32nds depending on front/rear and inside or outside tread, so I'm consuming consuming about 2/3 of a mm per thousand miles. That makes me think the toe is set too aggressively and an alignment is probably called for, which the dealer wants $250 for, which basically I consider that to be excessive.
My thoughts are to change to PS4S before the trip and get it aligned within 100 miles after the tires are on. I don't want to road trip on worn tires and if they last another three years I'll trade for another AMG. Does anyone know a good alignment shop they can recommend somewhere in the North Miami general area?
Thanks in advance.
If your looking for extended tire life over some performance in cornering.. you want to set the TOE to (0) front and (0-1) on rear.. Camber cannot be adjusted on our cars, and dosnt effect the tire wear as much.
I would reach out to @longbow0404 and ask for a referral, he knows everyone that can be trusted in So Flo.. !!
Thanks for the reply.... makes sense. Used to autocross a Boxster S and we set that the smallest possible positive toe in front in smallest possible negative reading at the rears. No one believed I used to get 70 runs and near 7K street miles on a set of Kuhmos. I was thinking about the same for the MB but need a local type good shop who can align to those specs. I emailed longbow0404 as info has him owning a shop in Doral. I'd pretty much have to pack a lunch to get to Doral from North Miami Beach.
Thanks for the reply.... makes sense. Used to autocross a Boxster S and we set that the smallest possible positive toe in front in smallest possible negative reading at the rears. No one believed I used to get 70 runs and near 7K street miles on a set of Kuhmos. I was thinking about the same for the MB but need a local type good shop who can align to those specs. I emailed longbow0404 as info has him owning a shop in Doral. I'd pretty much have to pack a lunch to get to Doral from North Miami Beach.
LOL.. he knows who can do what and the best price etc as well..
I am in Boca and I go down all the time, as well we do track events and outings on a weekly.. so its all good :-)
Thanks again..... unfortunately I'm still mentally a 40 year old guy trapped in a much older body. No more track days for me but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy my ride every time I get in it.
Thanks again..... unfortunately I'm still mentally a 40 year old guy trapped in a much older body. No more track days for me but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy my ride every time I get in it.
Garaged inside too.
awesome :-)
well you should atleast come join at some events, we have members of all ages and knowledge , etc etc..
Been meaning to for quite awhile but many things got in the way... like Covid, long trips out of country, medical sxxt and so forth. I'd like too but it might be too much temptation not to work on the suspension.
Comes down to the basics - “that OEM there is no longer Camber (or Caster) adjustment”. Only Toe “directional” adjustment !
All to do with cost cutting and the ever increasing speed of OEM assembly lines.
NEW CAR INDUSTRY'S BEST KEPT SECRET. OWNERS GOING FROM ONE DEALER OR ALIGNMENT SHOP TO THE NEXT ONLY TO ADJUST, RE ADJUST “TOE SETTINGS”
(OR CONTINUALLY CHANGING TIRE BRANDS).
Excess Camber (visually identified – front or rear wheel squat) “Camber adjustment” is essential. Allowing to change, fine tune tire contact angles. Spread load more evenly. Excess edge load also leading to higher impact, ruptured side walls, rim damage.
While front “Caster” adjustment allows to compensate for Camber change, along with the ability to correctly resolve steering pull and improve directional control.
WE SAW THE NEED TO FIX IT RIGHT THE 1ST. TIME – BY RE-INSTATING FROM THE EARLY 90'S FULL FRONT AND REAR ADJUSTMENT
(NOT ONLY FOR DAY TO DAY COMMUTING - ENCOUNTERING HIGH CAMBERED ROADS OR ALTERED HEIGHT OR FITTING WIDE PROFILE TIRES. BUT ALSO FOR “TRACK DAYS” - IN THE PURSUIT OF FRONT ROW OF THE GRID LAP TIMES).
KMAC has the experience of resolving such OEM suspension shortcomings since 1964. Not with relabelled imports, but “in-house” manufacture allowing both total control over quality and rapid, ongoing development. Then combined with competition proving – All ensuring to be at the forefront re very latest design breakthroughs. See website “About Us”.
FRONT C63S KITS:
1. #503316-1G Priced right at $295 (Both Sides)
(less then the cost of one high performance tire).
This popular kit allows precise single wrench adjustment providing front “Camber” (lower arm inner bushes). Up to 1.5 degrees Positive or Negative. More then enough to resolve most premature tire wear issues. Includes bush extraction tool allowing fitment without arm removal.
2. #503316-2J Also Priced right at $395 (Both Sides)
Both “Camber and Caster” adjustable. Alternative – or extra adjustment for Track days. Again fit without need for arm removal – bush extraction tool included. Replaces the 4 upper arm inner bushings. Up to 1.5 degrees Positive or Negative. Unlike welded fabricated upper arms kit allows the security of retaining the OEM hi strength forged alloy arms.
3. #503316K Ultimate kit $480 (Both Sides)
Both Camber and Caster adjustable. Replacing all 4 lower arm bushings (the highest wearing). Camber (#1.) and the forward facing thrust arm bushes for Caster.
Caster bushes are Monoball / 2 Axis replacing the OEM soft rubber, oil and air voided bushings. Still allowing arms to travel through their required suspension arcs without binding, locking up. Yet significant improvement to brake and steering response. Outperforming spherical bearings having more then twice the load bearing, impact area.
Unique patented design allows precise, single wrench adjustment, accurately (under load) direct on alignment rack.
REAR SUSPENSION – C63S
#502326-1K $480 (Both Sides)
You can purchase (inaccurate one offset position) Camber plates for the lower arm inner mounts. KMAC design breakthrough / upgrade here is “precise single wrench” adjustment and “doubling” the existing adjustment range (plus kit includes “extra Toe adjustment” to cater for the Camber change). These KMAC (performance bushings) also include bush extraction tool allowing fitment without need for arm removal.
4. #502226-3M $595 (Both Sides)
Replacing the “Upper arms” providing Camber adjustment (also extra Toe adjustment to compensate) NOTE: Keep in mind lower arms retain important clearance “top of tire to outer fender” when wanting to resolve premature inner edge tire wear. While upper arms reduce this clearance !
5. #502628K $480 (Both Sides).
Another popular kit (replacing the '6' multi link rear arm bushings). Provides less rear end twitch, flex, loss of traction. Especially when applying power to lane change / overtake.
Delivery $40 one kit ($20 each extra)
1888 844 9099 (24/7) Worlds Largest Range (Street or Track) Front & Rear Adjuster Kits – Audi to Volvo
Apologize, but when it comes to "alignment" there are a lot of frustrated C63S owners out there.
Convinced "surely such a expensive model .... if one alignment shop has not the expertise to resolve the costly, premature inner edge tire wear another can".
Not realizing all they have to work with is basic Toe "directional" adjustment.
Perhaps YOU would be better off not assuming all C63S owner are stupid. This thread is because I'm looking for a top alignment shop to set my toe the way I want it.... someone local who is as good as the guy who used to do my custom alignments when I raced P cars 20 years ago. Premature tire wear has it's roots in overly aggressive toe settings, not a lack of your hardware and acting like a schmuck with an attitude piling onto other's threads won't gain you customers, not smart ones anyway.
Do apologize to all. We being over enthusiastic. It was all about after more then 20 years of design and development finally achieving the goal of Camber and Caster adjuster kits not requiring any mods for virtually every model.
Campaign certainly did help to awaken many owners to the fact “full” front and rear alignment (even a C63'S') is only Toe adjustment.
End of the day we are only small niche dedicated aftermarket suspension manufacturers. So again apologize for any upset. Even though would like to see some frustration directed towards the highly profitable new car industry re costly, edge tire wear and.... “is within factory specs”.... ”there is nothing more we can do”, putting the onus back on owner to fund premature tire purchases.
what is exactly our stock alignment specs for front and rear?
id like to know since the damn alignment shops I’ve gone to won’t tell me?? They just half *** tell me the before and after but at the end of the day when I ask so what’s the stock factory settings they say “we don’t know”.
what is exactly our stock alignment specs for front and rear?
id like to know since the damn alignment shops I’ve gone to won’t tell me?? They just half *** tell me the before and after but at the end of the day when I ask so what’s the stock factory settings they say “we don’t know”.
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